Course Choices Video

Why study A-level Fashion and Textiles?

The A-Level in fashion and textiles enables students to develop a wide range of skills and techniques, together with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of contemporary fashion design. Sessions are delivered in a ‘workshop’ style, encouraging students to develop skills, creativity, imagination and independence based on personal experience, taught skills and critical understanding.

The fashion and textiles specification directly supports progression to higher education in fashion related subjects, as well as providing all students with a platform to inspire a lifelong interest in, and enjoyment of, art, fashion and general design. The course offers logical progression from GCSE, providing students with an exciting and innovative portfolio of work. We are very proud to say that the majority of students who opt to do fashion go on to study a fashion related degree, whether it be international fashion marketing, fashion design and promotion or fashion and business management. Students have gained places at The London College of Fashion, Liverpool, Manchester and Salford with some going on to secure careers working for brand names such as Max Mara, Burberry and Jack Wills.

What are the careers or further education that this course be suitable for?

Whether you enjoy painting, drawing, fashion, photography, graphic design or any other art-related endorsement, career options are limited only by your imagination. Fashion/art/design education propels people towards creative and unexpected destinations. The creative industries is one of the fastest growing in the UK and therefore offers design students a wide range of opportunities to select a creative pathway. Fashion and textiles is underpinned by the capacity to innovate, to develop lateral thinking skills, to problem-solve through creative investigation, to communicate and collaborate. So whether you are interested in becoming a fashion designer, illustrator, surface pattern designer, brand developer, venture into marketing and advertising or even a spacial or interior designer….the creative skills and visual language you will acquire on this course will help with future studies and your chosen career path.

Key Information Summary:

Course Details:

Students will be introduced to a variety of experiences that explore a range of two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional media, processes and techniques. Students will explore the use of drawing and mark-making for different purposes; using a variety of methods and media on a variety of scales. Students will present work in sketchbooks/workbooks/journals to underpin their work where appropriate. Students will explore relevant images, artefacts and resources relating to a range of art, fashion and design, from the past and from recent times, including European and non-European examples. This will be integral to the investigating, developing and making processes. Students’ responses to these examples will be evidenced through practical and critical activities that demonstrate their understanding of different styles, genres and traditions. Students will be encouraged to develop more autonomy and higher level thinking skills as knowledge and confidence increase over the course of study.

Subject Content:

A broad-based course exploring practical and critical/contextual work through a range of 2D and/or 3D processes and media associated with two or more skill areas such as fashion, textiles, costume, digital textiles, photography, graphics, printed and/or dyed fabric and materials, interiors, constructed textiles, art textile or installed textiles.

Skills and techniques

Students will be required to demonstrate skills in all of the following:

• awareness of the elements of textile design, such as shape, line, scale, colour, texture, pattern, contrast and/or repetition in relation to the chosen area(s) of textile design
• awareness of intended audience or purpose for their chosen area(s) of textile design
• ability to respond to an issue, concept or idea, working to a brief or answering a need in the chosen area(s) of textile design
• appreciation of the relationship of form and function and, where applicable, the constraints of working to a brief
• understanding of a variety of textile methods, such as: fabric printing, mono-printing, relief printing, screen printing and laser printing; tie-dye and batik; spraying and transfer; fabric construction; stitching, appliqué, patchwork, padding, quilting and embroidery.

Knowledge and understanding

Students must show knowledge and understanding of:

• relevant materials, processes, technologies and resources
• how ideas, feelings and meanings can be conveyed and interpreted in images and artefacts created in the chosen area(s) of textile design
• historical and contemporary developments and different styles and genres
• how images and artefacts relate to social, environmental, cultural and/or ethical contexts
• continuity and change in different styles, genres and traditions relevant to textile design
• a working vocabulary and specialist terminology that is relevant to their chosen area(s) of textile

Assessment details:

*Non-exam assessment (NEA) set and marked by the centre and moderated by AQA during a visit to the centre in June of the examination year.